The chaos and turmoil at Ningde Courtyard naturally couldn’t be hidden from Song Chuyi and Song Yan, who were siblings living in the same compound. Qing Tao brought them tea for rinsing their mouths and sighed with some worry.

For Song Yi to come back at this time, the Li family must have sent a letter with their malicious accusations first. With Second Master’s temperament, who knew what trouble he would stir up? The most pitiful were their own young miss and young master—clearly they were the victims, yet now they would probably be caught in the middle, unable to please either side.

Ziyun indeed came in through the door to report that Song Yi had already returned to the second branch’s main courtyard. She looked at Song Chuyi, then at Song Yan, and ultimately chose to tell the truth: “Second Master went to fetch Eighth Young Miss as soon as he returned. Right now he’s accompanying Eighth Young Miss for dinner.”

Although in her previous life she had ultimately been so despised by her father that he didn’t even want to see her, the smile on Song Chuyi’s face still paused for a moment—to say she wasn’t hurt would be a lie. Between her previous and current lives combined, she had called Song Yi father for over forty years after all.

Song Yan’s round, bun-like little face also wrinkled up as he pondered blankly for quite a while—he had no mother since childhood. Fortunately, he hadn’t spent much time with Li Shi either, instead being closer to people from his maternal family. Song Yi and Li Shi’s influence on him wasn’t particularly great. He looked at his sister’s face, which had instantly dimmed, and the resentment in his heart toward his father couldn’t help but deepen another layer.

“Sister…” Song Yan reached across the small table to grasp Song Chuyi’s hand. “Don’t be sad.”

Song Chuyi knew Song Yan was most sensitive and attentive. She quickly gathered her spirits and smiled: “I know. Don’t worry.”

After saying this, she asked Ziyun: “Earlier I asked you, Cuiqiao, and Cuiguo to inquire around for information. Have you found out anything?”

Compared to Song Yi, she was more concerned about Song Chuning. This younger sister seemed even more sinister than in her previous life. What was frightening was that if she had been reborn it would be somewhat better, but if this was her true nature, then it was truly chilling.

Upon hearing this, Ziyun immediately adopted a serious expression. This was the first important matter Song Chuyi had entrusted to her—how well she handled it would affect her future prospects.

“In response to Young Miss, Cuiqiao is timid and couldn’t find out much. Cuiguo’s side did hear some news.” Ziyun recounted in detail all the information she had gathered to Song Chuyi: “She said that Eighth Young Miss has always been extraordinarily clever. That time when Second Madam—Li Shi—was throwing a huge tantrum in her room because she couldn’t accompany Master to his post, cursing Old Madam, it was Eighth Young Miss who stopped her. I heard that Eighth Young Miss threw the cat given by Old Madam’s courtyard until it was half-dead, frightening Li Shi terribly.”

Li Shi had actually been afraid of a Song Chuning?

“Later I heard that several times when Li Shi threw tantrums, Nanny Yu was so anxious she had no choice but to fetch Eighth Young Miss, and it worked every single time.” Even as Ziyun spoke, she found it somewhat incredible herself. “Also, before Nanny Yu went to Songtao Courtyard this time, Eighth Young Miss had someone send her something.”

If sending clothes could send someone to their death, then of course sending something could also make Nanny Yu go commit arson.

Bringing up this matter, Song Chuyi still felt lingering fear. She squeezed Song Yan’s hand and nodded to signal Ziyun to continue.

“At the west corner gate there’s a Nanny Zou who was punished and sent there after making a mistake under Li Shi previously. Recently Lüshan and Lüyu from Eighth Young Miss’s side have often gone to find her, and she suddenly seems to have become wealthy.” Ziyun’s voice gradually lowered somewhat: “I had my mother go inquire. Nanny Zou’s husband is someone who runs errands for Third Master outside. Recently he’s made several trips to the Li Manor.”

Song Chuning’s situation in the Earl’s Manor couldn’t be considered good. For her to send a letter to Song Yi would truly be difficult. By the looks of it now, she had relied on the Li family to send the letter.

To be able to gain advantage under someone like Old Master Li, Song Chuning truly couldn’t be underestimated.

Song Chuyi tapped her fingers on the table surface and nodded, instructing Ziyun: “Ziyun, go do something else for me. Go to the second branch’s main courtyard and find someone to inquire about information. I want to hear what exactly Second Master and Eighth Young Miss talked about tonight.”

The second branch was currently in disarray. Although Song Chuning was formidable, she also couldn’t control every mouth. As long as one inquired diligently, one could always find out something.

In the second branch’s side courtyard at this moment, the lights were blazing brightly. Song Chuning was leisurely swinging on the swing set, facing the wind, occasionally glancing toward the courtyard gate.

Who knew how much time had passed when Cuiqiao finally came in with her head shrunk down, leading the person she wanted to see. Song Chuning leaped down from the swing and looked with a smile at the girl whose face still bore tear tracks, softly calling out: “Hong Yu.”

Hong Yu wiped her tears and timidly responded, then immediately felt somewhat regretful about truly following Cuiqiao here—how had she been so confused? Li Shi had killed Madam and had almost killed her own young miss too!

But looking at the delicately pretty, cute, pure, and innocent little girl before her, she felt her own young miss was being somewhat excessive—Song Chuning was only six years old after all, just a little girl who understood nothing. When Li Shi had harmed people back then, she hadn’t even been born yet. Recently because of Li Shi’s death, Eighth Young Miss had also been having a very difficult time. She herself had gone to the kitchen several times and seen the kitchen steward making things difficult for Cuiqiao and Cuiguo from Eighth Young Miss’s side.

Children who had lost their mothers were most pitiful. Back then Song Chuyi had also lived every day carefully, treading on thin ice.

“Eighth Young Miss.” She lowered her head and called out softly: “I don’t know what matter you summoned me for?”

Song Chuning pressed her lips together somewhat awkwardly, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes brimming with tears. She reached out to grasp Hong Yu’s hand and squeezed it: “I—I called you here because I want to ask, why does Sixth Sister dislike me so much?”

Hong Yu hastily tried to pull her hand back, but touching Song Chuning’s tear-filled eyes, she couldn’t help but soften somewhat. After hearing Song Chuning’s words, she quickly shook her head: “Sixth Young Miss doesn’t. She just—she just resents you…”

Song Chuning’s tears fell even more heavily: “She clearly does. I—my mother is gone. I don’t have anyone I can talk to. I only have Elder Sister and Fourth Brother I can talk to, but Elder Sister and Fourth Brother—they both avoid me like the plague. I don’t know what I did wrong. I don’t know where I went wrong…”

A little girl only six years old, clutching her hand and crying with tears and snot streaming down—Hong Yu thought of her situation and her heart involuntarily softened again, while at the same time several parts of resentment rose up—her own young miss was gradually seeming to become like Li Shi. Clearly only Li Shi was the one who harmed people, so why must she be so aggressive, not even sparing the innocent Eighth Young Miss?

Song Chuning cried in a way that made one unable to bear it: “Sister Hong Yu, I know you can speak up before Elder Sister. Can you—can you help me ask Elder Sister whether there’s something I didn’t do well? I’ll change. Please, please help me. Grandmother and Grandfather recently don’t want to see me either. I only have Elder Sister left…”